An extra £3.5bn of “new money” will be allocated to major local routes, which fall under the remits of local councils.

The £420m for potholes is on top of an existing fund of almost £300m.

Alongside extra cash for potholes, councils will be given an extra £150m to improve road junctions on local roads.

Earlier this year drivers breaking down after hitting potholes reached a three-year high, according to the RAC.

A harsh winter and a hot summer has contributed to the number of potholes on England’s roads.

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RAC chief engineer David Bizley said the extra money being spent on road infrastructure was “good news” for motorists.

But he added the government needed to look at a long-term strategy to “eliminate the backlog in preventative maintenance”.

In March Rick Green, the Asphalt Industry Alliance chairman, said a local authority survey indicated “more than £8bn would be needed to carry out a one-time catch up to bring local roads in England up to scratch”.